Louise Watts

SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPY ASSISTANT

Louise graduated from St. Mary’s University with an Honours degree in BSc Sports Rehabilitation. After graduating she took a job at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court and joined the Neurorehabilitation department, rotating through the multidisciplinary team and spending time working in Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Cognitive Communication Therapy, and Speech and Language Therapy. It was during her time in the Speech and Language Therapy Department where she met and worked under Gayle Chandler and later, Sally Ghibaldan. Particular highlights from her time at Headley Court include working and developing AAC systems, co-founding a ‘Work Initiatives Group’ for individuals leaving the military and transitioning to civilian employment, and supporting clients to access adapted sports/hobbies within the community.

Louise’s experience at Headley Court made her realise she wanted to adopt a much more holistic approach to rehabilitation, rather than focus simply on the musculoskeletal aspect, and eventually changed the entire trajectory of her career. Since leaving Headley Court Louise has worked in a variety of settings including NHS ward-based roles, administrative healthcare positions, and as a Keyworker for a small charity providing daycare services for young adults with profound and multiple disabilities.